The iPad is a multi-modal device, which means its user can partake in texts, pictures, and sounds. Particularly, they are enabled with three features which make it extremely convenient for students to use as an educational device. One, they are lightweight and portable - students can take them with them wherever they go. Two, they do not require external input devices (for example, a keyboard or a mouse). Third, they are designed to house a large number of apps which can allow for limitless educational opportunities for students (Kucirkova, 2014, p. 1). In the article "Nature and Extent of iPad Use Among Freshmen Honors Students" written by Patricia Maxwell and Priya Banerjee, a 2011 study was shared. In this study, undergraduate college students at Abilene Christian University, Seton Hall University, Stanford University School of Medicine and San Francisco University, were issued iPads that were pre-loaded with programs, applications, and apps. At the end of the trial period, students returned with the iPads and were asked a series of questions. The students' answers led the researchers to determine that "...the iPad increased student engagement, enabled collaborative learning, allowed potential student productivity and efficiency, improved student technology competency, and reduced the back end effort of managing their microeconomics class of 50 undergraduates" (Maxwell & Banerjee, 2013, p. 23). In their own study, in which they surveyed undergraduate students at their own university, Maxwell and Banerjee wanted to determine what the students were using the iPads to accomplish. The general results revealed that students were using the iPads for: social media (such as Facebook or Twitter); checking the weather; taking pictures; reading the news/current events; listening to music; and academic/school purposes (Maxwell & Banerjee, 2013, p. 28). When the students used the iPads for academic purposes, Maxwell and Banerjee found that they were mostly utilizing word processing programs, Internet applications, creating spreadsheets, and using apps. They wrote, "Academic use categories overlapped personal use, and that is not surprising when one considers the portability of tablets that are always pinging the Internet" (Maxwell & Banerjee, 2013, p. 28). Technology in classrooms is receiving national attention and a lack of resources for students is already being viewed as an issue needing to be addressed on a national level. President Obama announced his plan in 2013 to arm every student in the country with either a tablet, smartphone, or laptop ("The Paperless Classroom", Scherer, 2014). The assumption should never be made, however, that because the student of today is bombarded by technological terms, gadgets, and applications that he/she will show immediate mastery of the iPad. Training should also be extended to students. Gabarre, Gabarre, Din, Shah, and Karim (2013) agree that "Before iPads are to be included in learning scenarios, time and activities should be allocated in order to allow the learners to get accustomed to the device’s technical features" (p. 116). To students, the iPad is much more than a toy. In the educational setting of the present-day, it is the students who have the ability to tap into the true potential of the iPad device. In a 2013 article titled "Children's Engagement with Educational iPad Apps: Insights From a Spanish Classroom", a study was conducted by Kucirkova, Messer, Sheehy & Panadero to see if iPads promoted learning in a group of 41 four-and five-year-old Spanish students (p. 175). The results showed that app features and app content on the iPads utilized for the study did promote the educational value of the engagement of the students. Moreover, "In light of the convergent evidence that children generally prefer a technology-mediated method than traditional method with paper and pencil...this is an important message for educational professionals" (Kucirkova, Messer, Sheehy & Panadero, 2013, p. 183). Kucirkova reported in her 2014 study that students positively benefitted from iPad interactions, writing "...well-planned, iPad-based literacy activities stimulated a number of positive attitudes and behaviors in children" (p. 5). A study out of Longfield Academy in Kent, England showed not only that iPads benefitted student learning, but that students craved increased use of the device in their daily educational activities (Clark, 2012). For example, the students reported wanting the following: to take tests and writing assessments on the iPad (opting out of the traditional pen-and-paper method); to replace textbooks with the iPad; more opportunities to make and create movies/videos; increased access to science apps; and greater opportunity to design games (Clark, 2012). Research studies are also showing evidence that game-based play (i.e., using educational apps on the iPad to encourage students to learn or apply a concept or strategy) is extremely successful. For instance, a study was conducted by Ward, Finley, Keil and Clay (2014) and the findings were published to an article titled "Benefits and Limitations of iPads in the High School Science Classroom and a Trophic Cascade Lesson Plan." The researchers took immediate note of the fact that many of their students seemed to be engaged in the iPad activities, even students who normally struggled to participate. When simply asked if they enjoyed the iPad activities, the students were also asked if the activity had a high level of difficulty. The experts wrote: These results suggest that student engagement in the activity was high and, perhaps, this enhanced student engagement resulted in student perception of the content difficulty to be low. In other words, if students have fun, they may perceive the lesson content as "easier" (Ward, Finley, Keil & Clay, 2014, p. 5). Jennie Carr (2012) reported in her article "Does Math Achievement h’APP’en when iPads and Game-Based Learning are Incorporated into Fifth-Grade Mathematics Instruction?" her focus on the importance of elementary school students' mastery of mathematics skills based on her belief that the foundation will allow greater opportunity for the students to achieve success in higher-level mathematics courses (p. 269). Her study found that students responded to lessons with increased eagerness and interest when the lessons appear in a game-based format. Furthermore, "Game-based learning apps could be used to facilitate students’ problem solving abilities and conceptual understanding of mathematics. Equally as important as playing the mathematics game was active discussion of the activity and mathematical strategies and processes with students" (Carr, 2012, pp. 273-274). In another study promoting and supporting classroom iPad use, Kucirkova wrote, "After an 8-week intervention program, 78% of low achieving children showed improved mathematics skills, compared to a 17% increase in children who received Normal Practice" (2014, p. 5). Students are being taught by their teachers new ways to complete school work. In the California classroom of Matthew Gudenius, students do not show work for math problems; instead, they are asked to create a video on the iPad in which they explain how they solved a particular math problem ("The Paperless Classroom", Scherer, 2014). Dhir, Gahwaji, and Nyman published an article in 2013 called "The Role of the iPad in the Hands of the Learner." In their published research, they also reported a connection between student engagement and enjoyment playing educational games: "Children appreciate games so much that they often want to use direct or indirect gaming in their instructional tasks. Furthermore, experiences gained after playing a computer game greatly influence the child's mental process, self- identification, and beliefs about the external world" (Dhir, Gahwaji, and Nyman, 2013, p. 711). The authors also reported that older students in their studies showed less interest in the iPad than their younger counterparts, mainly because of time constraints, academic pressure, or lack of interest in learning how to use the device (Dhir, Gahwaji, and Nyman, 2013, p. 714). Students with special needs or disabilities are also being reported as students who benefit from (and enjoy) iPad use. This is yet another explored research field, but some studies suggests that because students learn differently, the iPad can be tailored to fit the needs of students requiring individualized attention. Students with disabilities are at greater risk for dropping out of school, reports a YouTube video from PBS New Hour's YouTube page titled "Engaging Students With Learning Differences Early On", which can ultimately lead to greater concerns in the future of the student (for example, unemployment or greater risk for conflicts with law enforcement) (2012). The video stated, "The National Center for Learning Disabilities says 20% of children with LD drop out of high school versus 8% of the general population" ("Engaging Students", 2012). The Henderson School(a unique elementary school in Boston, Massachusetts where one-third of the student body is labeled "disabled") is featured in the video. The Henderson School uses technology, such as the iPad, to help disabled students succeed in the classroom. For example, one student suffering from dyslexia was shown using the iPad's voice recognition software to communicate information about a story he had read to his teacher in way he had previously been unable to communicate ("Engaging Students", 2012).
Second Theme: How Do Students Use iPads?
The iPad is a multi-modal device, which means its user can partake in texts, pictures, and sounds. Particularly, they are enabled with three features which make it extremely convenient for students to use as an educational device. One, they are lightweight and portable - students can take them with them wherever they go. Two, they do not require external input devices (for example, a keyboard or a mouse). Third, they are designed to house a large number of apps which can allow for limitless educational opportunities for students (Kucirkova, 2014, p. 1).
In the article "Nature and Extent of iPad Use Among Freshmen Honors Students" written by Patricia Maxwell and Priya Banerjee, a 2011 study was shared. In this study, undergraduate college students at Abilene Christian University, Seton Hall University, Stanford University School of Medicine and San Francisco University, were issued iPads that were pre-loaded with programs, applications, and apps. At the end of the trial period, students returned with the iPads and were asked a series of questions. The students' answers led the researchers to determine that "...the iPad increased student engagement, enabled collaborative learning, allowed potential student productivity and efficiency, improved student technology competency, and reduced the back end effort of managing their microeconomics class of 50 undergraduates" (Maxwell & Banerjee, 2013, p. 23). In their own study, in which they surveyed undergraduate students at their own university, Maxwell and Banerjee wanted to determine what the students were using the iPads to accomplish. The general results revealed that students were using the iPads for: social media (such as Facebook or Twitter); checking the weather; taking pictures; reading the news/current events; listening to music; and academic/school purposes (Maxwell & Banerjee, 2013, p. 28). When the students used the iPads for academic purposes, Maxwell and Banerjee found that they were mostly utilizing word processing programs, Internet applications, creating spreadsheets, and using apps. They wrote, "Academic use categories overlapped personal use, and that is not surprising when one considers the portability of tablets that are always pinging the Internet" (Maxwell & Banerjee, 2013, p. 28).
Technology in classrooms is receiving national attention and a lack of resources for students is already being viewed as an issue needing to be addressed on a national level. President Obama announced his plan in 2013 to arm every student in the country with either a tablet, smartphone, or laptop ("The Paperless Classroom", Scherer, 2014). The assumption should never be made, however, that because the student of today is bombarded by technological terms, gadgets, and applications that he/she will show immediate mastery of the iPad. Training should also be extended to students. Gabarre, Gabarre, Din, Shah, and Karim (2013) agree that "Before iPads are to be included in learning scenarios, time and activities should be allocated in order to allow the learners to get accustomed to the device’s technical features" (p. 116).
To students, the iPad is much more than a toy. In the educational setting of the present-day, it is the students who have the ability to tap into the true potential of the iPad device. In a 2013 article titled "Children's Engagement with Educational iPad Apps: Insights From a Spanish Classroom", a study was conducted by Kucirkova, Messer, Sheehy & Panadero to see if iPads promoted learning in a group of 41 four-and five-year-old Spanish students (p. 175). The results showed that app features and app content on the iPads utilized for the study did promote the educational value of the engagement of the students. Moreover, "In light of the convergent evidence that children generally prefer a technology-mediated method than traditional method with paper and pencil...this is an important message for educational professionals" (Kucirkova, Messer, Sheehy & Panadero, 2013, p. 183). Kucirkova reported in her 2014 study that students positively benefitted from iPad interactions, writing "...well-planned, iPad-based literacy activities stimulated a number of positive attitudes and behaviors in children" (p. 5).
A study out of Longfield Academy in Kent, England showed not only that iPads benefitted student learning, but that students craved increased use of the device in their daily educational activities (Clark, 2012). For example, the students reported wanting the following: to take tests and writing assessments on the iPad (opting out of the traditional pen-and-paper method); to replace textbooks with the iPad; more opportunities to make and create movies/videos; increased access to science apps; and greater opportunity to design games (Clark, 2012).
Research studies are also showing evidence that game-based play (i.e., using educational apps on the iPad to encourage students to learn or apply a concept or strategy) is extremely successful. For instance, a study was conducted by Ward, Finley, Keil and Clay (2014) and the findings were published to an article titled "Benefits and Limitations of iPads in the High School Science Classroom and a Trophic Cascade Lesson Plan." The researchers took immediate note of the fact that many of their students seemed to be engaged in the iPad activities, even students who normally struggled to participate. When simply asked if they enjoyed the iPad activities, the students were also asked if the activity had a high level of difficulty. The experts wrote:
These results suggest that student engagement in the activity was high and, perhaps, this enhanced student engagement resulted in student perception of the content difficulty to be low. In other words, if students have fun, they may perceive the lesson content as "easier" (Ward, Finley, Keil & Clay, 2014, p. 5).
Jennie Carr (2012) reported in her article "Does Math Achievement h’APP’en when iPads and Game-Based Learning are Incorporated into Fifth-Grade Mathematics Instruction?" her focus on the importance of elementary school students' mastery of mathematics skills based on her belief that the foundation will allow greater opportunity for the students to achieve success in higher-level mathematics courses (p. 269). Her study found that students responded to lessons with increased eagerness and interest when the lessons appear in a game-based format. Furthermore, "Game-based learning apps could be used to facilitate students’ problem solving abilities and conceptual understanding of mathematics. Equally as important as playing the mathematics game was active discussion of the activity and mathematical strategies and processes with students" (Carr, 2012, pp. 273-274). In another study promoting and supporting classroom iPad use, Kucirkova wrote, "After an 8-week intervention program, 78% of low achieving children showed improved mathematics skills, compared to a 17% increase in children who received Normal Practice" (2014, p. 5).
Students are being taught by their teachers new ways to complete school work. In the California classroom of Matthew Gudenius, students do not show work for math problems; instead, they are asked to create a video on the iPad in which they explain how they solved a particular math problem ("The Paperless Classroom", Scherer, 2014). Dhir, Gahwaji, and Nyman published an article in 2013 called "The Role of the iPad in the Hands of the Learner." In their published research, they also reported a connection between student engagement and enjoyment playing educational games: "Children appreciate games so much that they often want to use direct or indirect gaming in their instructional tasks. Furthermore, experiences gained after playing a computer game greatly influence the child's mental process, self- identification, and beliefs about the external world" (Dhir, Gahwaji, and Nyman, 2013, p. 711). The authors also reported that older students in their studies showed less interest in the iPad than their younger counterparts, mainly because of time constraints, academic pressure, or lack of interest in learning how to use the device (Dhir, Gahwaji, and Nyman, 2013, p. 714).
Students with special needs or disabilities are also being reported as students who benefit from (and enjoy) iPad use. This is yet another explored research field, but some studies suggests that because students learn differently, the iPad can be tailored to fit the needs of students requiring individualized attention. Students with disabilities are at greater risk for dropping out of school, reports a YouTube video from PBS New Hour's YouTube page titled "Engaging Students With Learning Differences Early On", which can ultimately lead to greater concerns in the future of the student (for example, unemployment or greater risk for conflicts with law enforcement) (2012). The video stated, "The National Center for Learning Disabilities says 20% of children with LD drop out of high school versus 8% of the general population" ("Engaging Students", 2012). The Henderson School(a unique elementary school in Boston, Massachusetts where one-third of the student body is labeled "disabled") is featured in the video. The Henderson School uses technology, such as the iPad, to help disabled students succeed in the classroom. For example, one student suffering from dyslexia was shown using the iPad's voice recognition software to communicate information about a story he had read to his teacher in way he had previously been unable to communicate ("Engaging Students", 2012).